Protective device for third rails.



PATENTED JAN.10, 1905. I. RYAN & A. C. GUNTZER. PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR THIRD RAILS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5. 1903.

IN VENTORS 75/271. an, fizf/zozzy C. G zznizer A HORNE Y5 W/ TNESSES.

- PATENTED JAN. 10, 1905. J. RYAN & A. G. GUNTZER. PROTECTIVE DEVIGEIOR THIRD RAILS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6. 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WI TNE SSE 8:

UNITED STATES Patented January 10, 1905' PATENT ()EEIcE.

JOHN RYAN AND ANTHONY C. GUNTZER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR THIRD RAILS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,739, dated January 10, 1905.

Application filed November 5, 1903. Serial No. 179,936-

To all whom it may caneern:

Be it known that we, JOHN RYAN and AN- THONY (J. GUNTZER, citizens of the United States, and residents of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Protective Device for Third Rails, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The purpose of our inventionis to provide a cover or protective casing for the third rail of electric roads, which will effectually prevent persons from accidentally coming in engagement with the rail, the cover or protective casing being so constructed as not to interfere in the slightest degree With the action of the shoe.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a casingof the character described which will be simple,durable and economic,and readily applied, and, furthermore, to so construct the protective casing that access can be gained to the rail at any time in an expeditious and convenient manner without removing the casing from its protective relation to the rail.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indi cate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a transverse section through the third rail and the protective casing therefor. Fig. 2 is a sectional perspective view of the third rail and protective casing, illustratinga slight departure in the construction of the casing; and Fig. 3 is a sectional perspective view of afurther adaptation of the protective casing.

As shown in the drawings, the rail E is of the ordinary third-rail type and is provided at intervals with blocks 30, located at each side of the web portion of the rail, preferably having bearing against the flange of the rail, as is shown in Fig. l. -A plate 31 is located at the inner side of the third rail E, which plates may be as long as desired, and the said inner plates extend from the bottom of the flange of the rail upward to a point beyond the tread of the rail. Outer plates 31 are likewise used in conjunction with the third rail E, extending from the bottom of the said rail upward much farther than the inner plates 31. with a shed orv upper section 35, which extends, preferably, with an upward and inward inclination above the tread of the rail and above and beyond the upper ends of the inner plates 31, so that ample space is provided between the said shed 35 and the upper edges of the inner plate 31 to permit the free movementof the lower portion of a shoe-carrier and to permit the shoe used in connection with the protective device to act properly on the tread of the said third rail. The inner and outer plates 31 and 31 are connected with the web of the third rail E by means of bolts 32, which are passed through the said plates and through the spacing-blocks 30, the said bolts having suitable heads at one end and nuts 33 at their opposite ends, and between the nuts and the heads and the plates opposite which they are located suitable washers 33 are located. It will be observed that under this construction of a protective device it is impossible for a person to accidentally tread upon or engage with the third rail E and that the said rail and likewise the shoe are thoroughly protected from the elements.

In order that accessmay be readily gained to the said third rail E at any time, slots 3A are made in the bottom of either the inner or the outer plates 31 and 31*, and the bolts 32 pass through these slots, so that by loosening the bolts the plates having the slots 3A therein may be readily removed and the rail inspected. Furthermore, the slots 34:, which may be made, and preferably are made, in both the inner and the outer plates, serve to facilitate the attachment of the plates to the third rail and their removal therefrom.

In Fig. 2 we have illustrated a slight departure from the construction shown in Fig. 1, inasmuch as the sheds or tops (designated as 35) are connected by hinges 36 with the upper edges of the outer plates 31*, so that these sheds may be lifted at any time for the inspection of the third rail or to repair the Each outer plate 31 is provided same when necessary. Under this form of construction where the sheds come together their meeting edges are covered by a fixingplate 37, extending the transverse width of the said sheds at the top and engaging with their upper faces. These fixing-plates cross the points of connection between the sheds in such manner that the points of connection will be about longitudinally centrally located with reference to the fixing-plates, and the said fixing-plates are hinged or pivoted to the outer main plates 31 of the protective casing. Thus when this form of protective casing is employed by disengaging a fixing-plate from two abutting sections of a shed either section of a shed controlled by the fixing-plate may be raised for inspection of the rail, as occasion may demand.

Under the construction shown in Fig. 3 the outer plate 31 of the protective casing is of the same construction as that illustrated in Fig. 1; but the construction of the inner plate 81 is different, inasmuch as the inner plates 31 are made in two sections namely, a lower section 0, which is attached to the rail, and an upper section a, which extends above the rail. The two sections (2 and e are connected by hinges 38, placed a suitable distance apart. In order that the two sections a and e of a protective casing so constructed may be held in vertical alinement and rigidly with respect to each other, links 39 are carried by the inner end portions of the tie-bolts 32, extending normally over the abutting edges of the two sections, and when a rail is to be inspected or a shoe is to be inserted it is simply nee essary to force or hammer the links 39 downward until they are free of the upper section a, whereupon this upper section may be carried downward upon its hinged supports. After the inspection has been made or the shoe has been inserted the upper section a is restored to its normal position, and the links 39 are again forced upward to the supporting position relative to the upper section a, which position is illustrated in the said Fig. 3.

We desire it to be understood that insulating material may be placed wherever necessary.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A protective casing for third rails, consisting of inner and outer plates, means for locking devices for the section of a plate thus.

movable, as set forth.

2. The combination with a third rail and spacing-blocks located at the web portion of *the rail, of a protective casing consisting of an outer plate having slots at the lower edge thereof and an inner plate of less height than the outer plate and likewise provided with slots at its lower edge, fastening devices passed through the plates at their slotted portions and through the spacing-blocks and the rail, and a shed extending from the upper edge of the higher or outer plate with an upward and inward inclination over and beyond the upper edge of the inner plate, as set forth.

3. A protective casing for third rails, coinprising inner and outer plates one higher than the other and both extending beyond the tread of the raiha shed at the upper portion of the higher plate and extending over the corresponding portion of the lower plate, spacing-blocks located between each of said plates and the web of the rail, and fasteningbolts passing through the plates, spacingblocks and web of the rail, one of said plate-S having slots at its lower edge through which the bolts pass, as set forth.

4i. The combination with a third rail, and spacing-blocks locating at each side of the web portion of the rail, of a protective easing comprising inner and outer plates one higher than the other and both extending beyond the tread of the rail, a shed carried at the upper portion of the higher plate and extending over and beyond the corresponding portion of the lower plate, and bolts extending through the plates and through the spacing bl0eks and web of the rail tofasten the plates in position, as set forth.

. In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN RYAN. ANTHONY C.

WVitnesses:

FRED J. MUELLER, FRANK A. VENTER,

GUNTZER. 

